Greenfield Middle School administrators on Wednesday offered highlights to Greenfield Exempted Village School District board members about progress at the school.
Principal Wendy Callewaert, accompanied by assistant principal Matt Shelton, said “great things are happening” there.
Last year, a new academic schedule was created that included common plan time for teachers with teacher-based team time and intervention time daily. A building plan was also created. Those things, Callewaert said, have become the foundation for what is happening at the school.
And those “great things,” the principal said, include better test scores, student success, building on teacher/student relationships, and research-based teaching strategies to improve student learning.
The plans put in place last year have remained an emphasis during this school year. But this year there has been the addition of the design of a mentoring program and the creation of an eighth-grade leadership council.
The council, made up of eight students (four girls and four boys), Shelton said, is to provide student input. The council has met a couple times, and he said “the kids are taking the initiative.”
The mentoring program, Callewaert said, is in its “early stages.” It is meant to be a program for at-risk youth, and an advisory council, still being formed, will serve as the guide to the program which will partner with local organizations.
“Research shows you can make a difference in kids’ lives through mentoring,” Callewaert said Tuesday, adding that she was “very excited” about the program.
On another matter, McClain High School principal Jason Potts said the school had received a donation of $2,600 that will purchase 65 of the books produced by the Greenfield Historical Society for McClain’s centennial this year, “McClain High School, A Century of Tradition.”
The money was donated by Larry Roosa and Tom McCullough, both of the McClain class of 1955.
Potts said the men initially wanted a whole class initiated and dedicated solely to the history of McClain High School, but Potts said there were not the resources to do that. But, the men agreed to McClain history being a part of the sophomore American history classes, Potts said. The books will be used by the students.
In other business, superintendent Joe Wills reported that money from a previous donation from the Greenfield Rotary Club was used to purchase coats to ensure all students that needed a new coat have one. He said Highland County Community Action’s Coats for Kids Drive recently saw about 120 applications for kids that needed coats, but the organization was only able to provide about 90. To make sure all the kids ahve coats, Wills said the building principals went shopping to fill the remaining need and used the money donated by the Rotary Club.
On other matters, board members approved the resignation as junior high wrestling coach of Destry Snyder. Also approved were the itineraries for next year’s FFA trip to Oklahoma City and the Talented and Gifted (TAG) trips for elementary and middle school students.
Recommendations for employment as approved by the board were: Alice Teeters, teacher; Nicholas McNeal, substitute; Rogena Orr, substitute; Whitney Applegate, substitute; Randy Closson, girls assistant track; Hayley Lovett, junior class adviser; Steve Roble, boys assistant track; Bob Bergstrom, head coach boys track; Steve Roads, bowling; Sandy Reyer, junior class adviser; Dylan Trefz, middle school wrestling; Daniel Morris, bowling; Mark Voss, swimming.
The next regular meeting of the Greenfield Exempted Village School District Board of Education is yet to be scheduled. Board meetings for the year are set at the board’s organizational meetings held in early January.
Reach Angela Shepherd at 937-393-3456, ext. 1681, or on Twitter @wordyshepherd.
